Trainee Demographics & Career Changer Data
We (The Co-op Academies Trust) are conducting research into recruitment patterns for Design & Technology teacher training, with a particular focus on the balance between recent graduates and career changers over the past four years. The aim is to strengthen the evidence base for establishing a dedicated route into teaching for career changers, who currently lack a specific pathway comparable to existing undergraduate and postgraduate internships.
Career changers bring extensive industry experience, maturity, and subject expertise, but often face barriers such as financial constraints, family responsibilities, and a lack of flexible training options.
This work is particularly urgent in Design & Technology, and most acutely in Food Technology, where many providers report significant challenges in recruiting specialist teachers. A sufficient supply of well-trained food specialists is critical if schools are to deliver on wider government ambitions around healthy eating, nutrition education, and national weight‑management initiatives, and to ensure that pupils develop the practical food skills needed for lifelong health and wellbeing.
In partnership with The Co-op Group, whose broader mission includes improving access to food and supporting healthy communities, we are keen to understand how ITT can better underpin this national health agenda through strong Design & Technology and Food education.
To ensure our case is backed by robust evidence from across the sector, we are inviting both university-based and school-based ITT providers to share data and insights through a short survey. The results will directly inform our submission to the Education Select Committee.
Click here & complete the survey
Closing date for completions is Friday 6th March
The form should take approximately 10–15 minutes to complete.